Father using mixed martial arts to fight for his sons

Thursday

Jul 30, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 30, 2009 at 9:21 PM

Mark Chauppetta’s twin sons, Andrew and Troy, were born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative muscle disorder that causes the breakdown of muscle tissue over time. While Chauppetta’s 14-year-old sons have been battling the disease for their entire lives, the 40-year-old will be taking the fight to Campanelli Stadium in a charity match to raise money for DMD and to help spread awareness.

Matt Tempesta

As some of the area’s best mixed martial arts fighters gear up for Saturday’s Battle Under the Stars at Campanelli Stadium, Brockton resident Mark Chauppetta is preparing for a whole different kind of fight.

Chauppetta’s twin sons, Andrew and Troy, were born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative muscle disorder that causes the breakdown of muscle tissue over time. While Chauppetta’s 14-year-old sons have been battling the disease for their entire lives, the 40-year-old will be taking the fight to Campanelli Stadium in a charity match to raise money for DMD and to help spread awareness.

Chauppetta, who owns a detective agency in Brockton, has been training for the past three months with MMA fighter/promoter Mike Varner for what will be his third and final charity fight. Even though he isn’t a professional fighter, Chauppetta says he has always been drawn to the ring, or in this case, the cage.

“Back in 2006, I was doing a radio show on WXVR, and Mike Varner came in to promote a local show,” Chauppetta said. “He kind of challenged me and, being a testosterone-filled ex-wrestler, I agreed to it. The rest is history. It’d be easier to golf, but for whatever reason I enjoy ultimate fighting.”

Said Varner: “With Mark’s situation, he’s not a full-time fighter. He has a wrestling background, but when he does these charity fights, that’s when he puts his Superman outfit on (and) starts training again.”

Chauppetta is also the subject of a documentary called “A Father’s Fight,” which will chronicle his training leading up to Saturday’s fight. Chauppetta has gained national coverage for his efforts and was even flown out to Las Vegas to train at Ultimate Fighting legend Randy Couture’s gym.

On Saturday, a crew from HDNet’s “Inside MMA’’ will fly out to film Chauppetta’s fight.

“It’s my third fight,” Chauppetta said, “but this is the swan song, this is the end. I’m making the movie and that’s it. That’s the end of it, then we’ll hit the editing studio. If it doesn’t get picked up by a network, we’re going to go the film festival route.

“The real story is about the fight that my sons live daily with their illness,” he added.

Even though he lost his first fight in 2007 after being arm-barred, Chauppetta is confident he can use his training and previous fight experiences to end his short-lived MMA career victoriously.

“It wasn’t really a shock,” said Chauppetta of his first fight. “It was a rewarding feeling afterward. I gained a lot of respect in the community, being a father that takes care of boys that have to deal with having an illness. I kind of used it to keep myself in physical shape to help care for them.

“I don’t know why I do it, man. It seems good in theory at times, but leading up to the fight, it’s very stressful. But once you get in there and the bell rings it’s over pretty quick, win or lose.”

In the audience on Saturday will be Chauppetta’s twin sons, who will be seeing their father fight for the first time.

“This is the first time my kids are going,” Chauppetta said. “They think it’s cool. They like the sport. Mixed martial arts is kind of our bonding thing that we watch once in a while.”

Saturday’s fight will see Chauppetta go up against Joe Cavey, a 20-year-old fighter who is half his age. Even though Cavey has youth on his side, Chauppetta will have the support of his sons and the whole Duchenne community, which Chauppetta says is very close-knit.

As Varner and Chauppetta wrap up their months-long training regimen, Varner is confident that his 40-year-young protege will be more than a formidable opponent when facing his young challenger in the cage on Saturday.

“(Mark’s) a very, very strong kid,” said Varner “And because of that strength and his crazy desire to survive, those two attributes make him dangerous.

“Hopefully, Mark will be a role model for all other people who look at adversities in life.

“You just have to be proactive and embrace whatever it is and deal with it. I think too many people say, ‘Woe is me,’ but Mark’s not one of those guys. He said, ‘You know, this is the hand I was dealt with, and I’m going to make a difference in my kid’s life and in the world.’”

Proceeds from the fight as well as the documentary will go to charities such as the Jett Foundation and to Mass. General Hospital, where Andrew and Troy are treated regularly.

For more information about “A Father’s Fight,” go to www.afathersfight.net.

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